There are programs that support young people when things are going well. And then there are the ones that stay when things get hard.

Gianna joined Thriving in Motion in November 2023. She has diagnoses of Down Syndrome, Epilepsy, Autism and anxiety. From the beginning, her sessions at our inclusive exercise programs in Perth were carefully tailored around her needs, her energy, her sensory profile, what felt safe on any given day.

Then, during Term 4 of 2025, something happened. Gianna disengaged from school. She became reluctant to leave home. The world outside contracted.

Thriving in Motion became the one community-based space she still came to.

What that looked like in practice

“The Thriving instructor has built a strong rapport with Gianna, ensuring sessions are fun, engaging, and responsive to her needs while continuing to develop her physical skills. Thriving has become one of the few community-based ‘safe spaces’ where Gianna feels able to participate. She always leaves sessions smiling and proud of what she has achieved. It is an excellent program run by even better people.”
Catherine and Brendon, Gianna’s parents

From the instructor’s perspective, the change over that time has been one of the most meaningful of her career:

“Gianna has progressed from being too anxious to enter the building, to quietly standing in the room, to now walking in confidently, sending her parents to wait in the car, and calling out ‘Hi.’ Watching her dance, sing, and enjoy movement during sessions is incredibly special.”

Gianna’s Thriving instructor

Why we’re telling this story

Not because it’s unusual,  but because it isn’t. Stories like Gianna’s are the reason Thriving in Motion’s inclusive exercise programs exist. Not to produce athletic outcomes, but to create the conditions in which a child can feel safe enough to try. Safe enough to walk through the door. Safe enough to send her parents to wait in the car.

That kind of trust is built slowly, carefully, and by people who understand that meeting a child where they are is not a compromise, it’s the whole point.

Thriving in Motion delivers evidence-based, inclusive exercise programs across 37 locations in Perth and regional Western Australia. In 2025 alone, we delivered 9,570 service hours to over 700 young people, 100% of whom come from families who say they would recommend our service. Our programs are built on published research, delivered by accredited exercise physiologists, and designed for young people who face barriers to mainstream sport and physical activity.